Making Good on His Word
by articcat621
Summary: When James asked to meet her at the Leaky, Hermione had no idea he would be so bold.


A/N: Many thanks to k_lynne317 for looking this over. I've always wanted to write this pairing, I hope everyone enjoys! This was originally written for the Number Game Fest 2015 at Rare Pair Shorts on LJ. xx

Disclaimer: JKR owns the world & characters of Harry Potter, not me. I'm not making any money!

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 _Making Good On His Word_

Hermione sipped at her Butterbeer while sitting in the Leaky Cauldron. She had received an owl from James, Harry's son, asking her to meet him here. She wasn't sure what he wanted to talk about, but Hermione hoped it wasn't too serious.

She was about to flag Hannah down and ask her for dinner when she heard a cough next to her. Turning, Hermione saw that James was standing there. "James, hi," she said, greeting him. She reached out and hugged him before pulling away. "I got your owl. I hope it's not anything too serious."

"It's not," James said quickly. "At least, I don't think so." He took a seat on the chair next to her. "Let me just get a drink first, and then I'll start talking."

Hermione gave him a stern look. "James, you're nineteen. There is no reason you should need a drink before talking about something. You're too young to have issues that severe."

James's face turned red and shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Hermione," he began, rubbing the nape of his neck. "Why didn't you ever marry?"

Her eyes widened in disbelief. Hermione crinkled her nose as she thought his question over. Out of all the reasons he could have asked her to meet, this was certainly not what she expected. "I never found the right man," she replied after thinking it over. She watched James nod. "I think with my lifestyle, I just never had time to settle down and have a family. I don't regret it as much as I thought I would. Without any strings attached, I can up and split on a moment's notice for research, as you know I've done in the past."

"Don't you get lonely?" James asked, avoiding making eye contact with her.

Hermione narrowed her eyes and frowned. "James, why?" She took a sip of her Butterbeer. "I don't mind answering the questions, but they're rather personal. Why do you want to know?"

His breathing quickened and when he finally looked at her, she saw his eyes were wide and his pupils dilated. His lips parted slightly and Hermione found she couldn't tear her gaze away. "James?" she asked quietly.

"I want you," he whispered softly, almost as if he was afraid to say it out loud.

Her heart skipped a beat. "James." Hermione didn't know how to respond. She couldn't. She shouldn't. It wasn't right. "You're my best friend's son," she whispered, not sure if she was trying to dissuade herself or him.

"I know," James replied, leaning forward slightly.

"I'm old," she protested.

The corner of James's mouth quirked upwards. "You don't look a day over twenty," he said playfully, winking at her. The shy boy before her had disappeared and in his place was a confident man.

"It's not right, James," Hermione said, her resolve crumbling. She had always thought that James was an attractive wizard, but he was off limits as he was Harry's son.

"Just give me tonight," James said. "Just let me love you, even if it's only for tonight."

She arched a brow at his word choice. "Love is a powerful thing. I don't do the emotional attachment part of things. It gets messy."

James leant forward so they were practically face-to-face. "If you won't let me love you, then let me fuck you." He lowered his voice. "I'll take you back to my place, throw you on my bed, and have my wicked way with you." A smirk spread across his rosy-coloured lips. "You don't have any plans tomorrow, correct? Don't need to… walk anywhere?"

Her breathing quickened as she flushed. She stood, a smirk to rival the wizard's next to her, gracing her own features. "See, James, I told you that you didn't need alcohol to talk to me."

He stood tall, his chest puffed out slightly. "I was nervous about propositioning you." He flushed. "If that's what I just did."

"What you just did was make me a promise that you better intend to keep." Hermione leant forward, looking at him expectedly.

"I always keep my promises," James said. He grasped her hand and pulled her towards the alleyway, not caring that someone most likely saw that. Once outside, he pulled her down a side street and pushed her up against the stone side of the building. His lips were on hers and he kissed her passionately.

Hermione moaned into the kiss, pressing her body against his. She could feel his erection through his trousers. _Oh, Merlin_.

The two broke apart, each panting. Hermione looked at James and smiled. "Don't you have a promise to keep?"

"That I do," James replied, taking her hand and Apparating her to his flat. James spent the rest of the afternoon making good on his word.


End file.
